Vortex generating device for air conduits

ABSTRACT

A device and method for generating a vortex within an air conduit of an internal combustion engine as well as a method of manufacturing such a device. The device focuses a portion of the air flowing into an air conduit into a number of tightly focused air streams tangent to a circle located concentrically within the lumen of the air conduit at a point downstream from the device. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the device contains a number of blades which are formed into tightly curled, open, truncated cone shapes (i.e. open frustroconical shapes) where the circumference of the curvature of the blade is smallest where the air first meets the blade and increases continuously across the width of the blade. In the preferred embodiment, the blades have rounded edges and extend only partway into the center of the device and are separated from each other by gaps.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to devices for improving the efficiency of internal combustion engines. More particularly, this invention relates to devices which improve air flow though the air conduits of an internal combustion engine by generating an air vortex within such air conduits.

2. Description of the Problem

Internal combustion engines require continuous airflow. Air is taken into such engines through air conduits and is required for fuel vaporization and combustion. Air is discharged out of such engines through air conduits along with other gaseous and particulate byproducts of combustion. If such air flow is unaided, however, significant amounts of turbulence and resistance to air flow can develop in intake and outflow air conduits. Such resistance to air flow through the air conduits of internal combustion engines leads to inefficient combustion of fuel, causing increased fuel consumption and decreased engine power.

One technique that has been used in the field of internal combustion engines to improve air flow through engine air conduits is to place devices at the entrance to, or in the lumen of the conduit, which causes an air vortex to form within the conduit. Such a vortex enables air to flow more efficiently throughout the conduit, especially around curves and bends in the conduit where air flow is predisposed to become turbulent. Such a vortex also leads to more efficient atomization and vaporization of fuel at the point of ignition, which results in improvements in flame propagation. The net effect is to increase the power and efficiency of the engine.

3. Description of Related Art

A significant number of vortex generating devices have been developed and marketed. All of these devices, however, suffer from one or more of three significant disadvantages. First, a number of these devices consist of multiple components and are thus relatively slow and expensive to manufacture. Two such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,838 (Kim) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,212 (Kim). Both of the disclosed devices are composed of a cylindrical housing and separately formed blades. All of the components in these devices are fabricated separately and then assembled in a separate step. The need to fabricate individual components increases the cost of the materials in the device. The need for a separate assembly step slows down production of the device, particularly if the device is assembled by hand. Furthermore, components which are welded to the device's assembly are more likely to break off during use than components that are integrally formed into the device.

Second, a number of these devices have a fixed diameter, and hence any given size device will only fit the air conduits of a narrow range of engine types. If the device is to be marketed for a wide range of vehicles the manufacturer must fabricate, and retailers must stock, a large number of devices with different diameters. The '838 and the '212 device cited above both have, in the disclosed embodiment, fixed diameters. Another such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,213 (Burnett). The illustrated embodiment of the '213 device is formed from a single sheet of metal, but is formed as a closed cylinder with closely overlapping blades.

Third, and most importantly, all of the prior art devices suffer from significant flaws in efficiently and effectively generating a vortex within engine air conduits. One defect present in a number of prior art devices is that the blades of such devices are unnecessarily large and present significant impedance to air flow. The '838, '212, and '213 devices cited above all have relatively large blades which block and redirect nearly all of the air passing through the device. Such a large surface area causes considerable friction with inbound air flow and leads to back pressure behind the blades of the device. The '838 and '212 devices reduce friction and backpressure behind the blades of the device by introducing slots, holes, and scalloped edges into the device's blades. However, the surface area of the blades remains large, and the openings and irregularities introduced into the blades create the possibility that turbulence will develop around such openings and irregularities, decreasing the effectiveness of the device in generating a relatively turbulence free vortex.

More importantly, however, all prior art devices use inefficient blade geometry. The devices cited above, as well as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,446 (Robley), all disclose blades which present a relatively flat surface to airflow. Such a flat surface is not aerodynanically efficient, and dissipates part of the energy of the inbound air flow and generates a relatively turbulent and poorly focused stream of air. The only case of a device which uses a curved blade design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,446 (Cheng). However, the blade design in the '446 device is not optimally efficient. The curvature of the blade is described and illustrated as curving continuously, that is to say, the radius of the curvature does not vary across the width of the blade. Thus, the geometry of the blade does not focus the air striking it into a tightly focused stream, but rather creates a poorly focused stream which tends to expand as it leaves the surface of the blade. An additional disadvantage of the '446 device is that, if manufactured as disclosed, the blades inherently have sharp points which are not aerodynamically efficient, and, as a side effect also make the device somewhat hazardous to install.

Lastly, all prior art devices tend to induce turbulence in the center of the air vortex. Devices, such as the '838, '212, and at least one embodiment of the '446 device have blades which extent into, or nearly into, the axis of the air passage where the blades have little effectiveness in generating a vortex and simply impede airflow. All of the other devices cited above create relatively poorly focused streams of air which tend to expand and become turbulent as they are deflected off of the device's blades. Such poorly focused streams of air tend to merge in the center of the vortex. Secondarily, all of the above devices could be constructed with such a geometry that the streams of air generated by the device's blades could be directed inward, towards the axis of the air conduit, causing them to merge within the conduit leading to significant turbulence.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to efficiently create a vortex within the air conduits of an internal combustion engine with a minimum of turbulence and impedance of air flow by using tightly focused steams of air directed parallel to the axis of such air conduits.

Another object of the present invention is to enable vortex generating devices to be manufactured quickly and inexpensively.

Another object of the present invention is to enable a single size of a vortex generating device to be adapted to a wide range of air conduit diameters.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the drawings are studied in conjunction with the detailed specification.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a device and method for generating a vortex within an air conduit of an internal combustion engine as well as a method of manufacturing such a device. The device focuses a portion of the air flowing into an air conduit into a number of tightly focused air streams tangent to a circle located concentrically within the lumen of the air conduit at a point downstream from the device. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the device contains a number of blades which are formed into tightly curled, open, truncated cone shapes (i.e. open frustroconical shapes) where the circumference of the curvature of the blade is smallest where the air first meets the blade and increases continuously across the width of the blade. In the preferred embodiment, the blades have rounded edges and extend only partway into the center of the device and are separated by a gap.

The device is manufactured by stamping out an elongated strip of flexible material with blades with rounded edges and a gap (⅛″ in the preferred embodiment) separating the blades. The strip is rolled into an open cylinder. The blades are curled into an open, truncated cone shape. In the preferred embodiment, the strip is rolled and the blades are curled using simple hand tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a flat layout view of a stamped metal strip used to fabricate the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the strip in FIG. 1 after it has been rolled into an open, cylindrical shape.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device in FIG. 2 after the blades have been curled into an open conical shape.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device in FIG. 3 mounted in an air conduit.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device in FIG. 3 after being compressed such that 2 blades overlap.

FIG. 6 is a close-up, perspective view of one of the blades in the device in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the geometry of the air currents generated by the device in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is another perspective view of the geometry of the air currents generated by the device in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1, the invention is fabricated from a flat metal strip 10. The strip 10 is preferable stamped out of 22 gauge stainless steel or any other gauge of stainless steel adaptable to the manufacturing process described below. Nothing in this specification, however, should be taken to limit the device to stainless steel embodiments. Any resilient, corrosion resistant material or resilient material with a corrosion resistant coating can be used. The strip has a plurality of blades 12 which have smoothly rounded points 14. The blades are separated by gaps 16 of approximately ⅛″ in width. The gaps 16 serve a variety of functions, including facilitating fabrication of the device and improving the aerodynamic performance of the device, as discussed further below. Referring next to FIG. 2, the flat metal strip is rolled into an open cylinder 20, with all of the device's blades 22 on one end 24 of the cylinder 20. The two ends, 26 and 27, of the strip forming the open cylinder 20 are separated by a gap 28.

Referring next to FIG. 3, all of the blades 32 of the cylinder 30 are shaped into a tightly curled open cone shapes with open slots 34 between the blades 32. The blades can be shaped using simple hand tools or automated fabrication methods. The cylinder 30 is preferably placed in a pre made cylindrical holder to maintain the shape of the cylinder 30 while the blades 32 are being shaped. The open slots 34 between the blades 32 of the cylinder 30 facilitate the insertion of tools and the shaping of the blades 32. The shaped blades 32 of the device extend partway to the center of the cylinder 30, leaving an open space 39 in the lumen of the cylinder 30. Referring next to FIG. 4, the device is mounted in an air conduit of an internal combustion engine such that the end 44 of the cylinder where the blades 42 of the device are mounted faces away from the direction of airflow, 45-45′, through the lumen of the cylinder 40.

Referring next to FIG. 5, the radius of the cylinder 50 can be varied by compressing the cylinder 50 such that the two ends, 56 and 57, of the open strip forming the cylinder 50 approach one another, decreasing the gap in the cylinder 50. The ends 56 and 57 can be overlapped, if necessary, with blades 52 overlapping. A portion of the strip forming the cylinder 50 can also be cut to further decrease the size of the compressed cylinder 50. The open slots between the blades 52 enable the device to be significantly compressed without the blades 52 coming into contact with one another. The shaped blades are of such a size, 1″ in the preferred embodiment, that even if the diameter of the device is decreased by as much as 50%, an open space 59 remains in the lumen of the device. When the device is compressed, due to the resilient nature of the materials used in its construction, the device tends to spring back to its original form, exerting a biasing force against the walls of an air conduit into which the device has been inserted. This biasing force holds the device in place without the need for screws or other fixed points of attachment. The blades 42 and all other edges of the device have smoothly rounded edges, which makes handling and installation of the device into an air conduit safe and comfortable.

Referring next to FIG. 6, an individual blade 60 has a first edge 62, a second edge 64, and a point 66. The radius of the curvature of the first edge 62 of the blade 60 is smaller than the radius of the curvature of the second edge 64 of the blade 60. In the preferred embodiment, the ratio between the radii is approximately 2:1 and the radius of the curvature of the blade 60 decreases smoothly across the width of the blade 60. As air flows into the device, air first makes contact with the first edge of the blade 62 and flows across the surface of the blade 60 generally in the direction of the second edge 64 of the blade 60. The aerodynamic configuration of the blade redirects and focuses the air flowinto a well defined steam of air flowing at an angle to the direction of air flowing into the device. The edges 62 and 64, and the point 66, of the blade 60 are smooth and rounded to minimize turbulent flow. Any back pressure behind the blade 60 is relieved by air flowing through the open slots between the blades 60, as discussed further below.

Referring next to FIG. 7, the blades 72 of the cylinder 70 direct the air flowing near the inner surface of the cylinder into a plurality of well defined air streams 76 flowing tangent to a circle located concentrically within the lumen of the air conduit at a point beyond the end of the cylinder where the blades 72 are located. The resulting air flow causes a vortex to form within the air conduit. In the preferred embodiment of the device, the radius of the circle is 60-75% the size of the lumen of the air conduit in which the device is mounted. Air flowing into the open lumen 79 and open slots 74 of the device flow straight through the device unimpeded. Air flow though the slots 74 tends to relieve back pressure behind the blades 72. The presence of open slots 74 and the open lumen 79 also reduces the friction and resultant impedance to air flow produced by the device. A key principle at work in this device is that only a fraction of the air flowing through an air conduit need be redirected to form a vortex, and that a vortex is most efficiently formed by well focused streams of air flowing near the walls of the air conduit. Thus friction and turbulence is minimized, and vortex formation is maximized.

FIG. 8 shows the air flow illustrated FIG. 7, as described above, from a second perspective, showing the cylinder 80 with blades 82 separated by slots 84, which directs air flowing through the lumen 89 of the device into well defined air streams 86. 

1. A device for improving the flow of air through air conduits of an internal: combustion engine comprising: a housing defining a generally cylindrical enclosure with a first end and a second end, the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing being in open communication with the exterior of the housing; a plurality of blades spaced around the opening of the first end of the housing, such blades being shaped at an angle to direct air flowing into the second end of the housing into streams of air flowing tangent to a circle located outside of the first end of the housing.
 2. The invention in claim 1 where the blades are shaped in a curving, open, generally frustroconical shape, where the radius of the curvature of a first edge of each blade nearest the second end of the housing is greater than the radius of curvature of the a second edge of the each blade nearest the first end of the housing, the radius of the curvature of the each continuously decreasing from the first edge of each blade to the second edge of each blade.
 3. The invention in claim 2 where the blades are separated by gaps.
 4. The invention in claim 3 where the housing is formed from an open strip of flexible, resilient material and the blades are non-overlapping, whereby the device can be compressed to fit a range of air conduit diameters, such device when compressed further tending to expand, biasing the outer surface of the housing against the inner wall of the air conduit into which it has been inserted, whereby the device is held firmly in place.
 5. The invention in claim 1 where the radius of the circle located outside of the first end of the housing is 60-75% the size of the lumen of the air conduit in which the device is mounted.
 6. The invention in claim 2 where the ratio between the radii is approximately 2:1 and the radius of the curvature of the blade decreases smoothly across the width of the blade.
 7. The invention in claim 3 where the gaps are approximately ⅛″.
 8. The invention in claim 4 where compression of the device allows the diameter of the housing to vary by up to 1 inch without causing the blades of the device to obstruct each other in the lumen of the device.
 9. The invention in claim 4 where the device is formed from a single piece of flexible, resilient material.
 10. A method of forming an air vortex within an air conduit comprising the steps: dividing the air flowing into a hose into a plurality of discrete streams of air; directing each of the discrete streams of air tangent to a circle within the lumen of an air conduit.
 11. The invention in claim 10 where the radius of the circle within the lumen of an air conduit is 60-75% the size of the lumen of the air conduit. 